HELLO again ...

fa la la la la ...

2012-01-06T19:08:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas (a little late)! We hope your Christmas was filled with love, family, and fun like ours was. We feel so blessed to live closer to family now and love being able to spend time with our families. We spend Christmas at Nate's parents house with Tiff and her family and the cousins had such a great time together. We had a Mexican Fiesta on Christmas Eve complete with a pinata. The kids loved it!

They then wrote Santa a little note and made him a plate of cookies (with carrots for Rudolph) and were off to bed. It is a tradition in the George family that you have to get up and get dressed before you can open presents, so needless to say, the kids were anxious to see what Santa brought! They loved their new teepee and cowboy and indian dress up clothes.

On Monday morning, we headed up to Kelley Canyon for ski lessons. There wasn't much snow, but we had fun none the less. Hayden went up the chairlift for the first time and did great sporting his wedge the whole way down the mountain.

Overall, my kids just loved playing with their cousins. They dressed up, went bowling and played this cute dance game on the Wii. It was the perfect Christmas.

After our time in Idaho, we headed down to Utah to see my family. All Hayden wanted to do in Utah was go to Chuck E Cheese, so that's where we celebrated Nate's 29th birthday. He's a good Dad, huh!

Happy Birthday Nate! You are the best thing that ever happened to me! xoxo

We hope this finds you all well. We are so blessed to start the new year off in our beautiful, snowy mountain home and to have the gospel in our lives. Here's to a great 2012!

here comes santa claus ...

2011-12-19T22:14:00.000-06:00

Merry {early} Christmas! We are definitely in the Christmas spirit around here and are excited to spend time with our families and friends in the coming weeks. The kids have been super excited with all that the Christmas season brings and they make everything about Christmas so much more fun. Cora is especially in love with our Elf on the Shelf, Sparky, and is usually the first one to spot him each morning. It is pretty cute.

Another highlight of this winter season is living so close to the ski hill. It is only about 20 or 30 minutes to the ski lift for us. Hayden hit the bunny hill for the first time a few weeks ago. He was super shaky and nervous on his first run but quickly got his ski legs and was soon cruising down the hill. Nate took him again on Saturday and after his first run, Nate took the bungie off the front of his skis and he skied the rest of the time without it. I think we will take him on the ski lift next time and see how he does.

We spent Thanksgiving with my family and it was so great to be able to spend so much time with loved ones. As you can see, there are a ton of cousins for Hayden and Cora to play with and they loved decorating gingerbread houses together.

We were also able to see my beautiful niece Maddie dance in the Nutcracker. Hayden was enthralled the whole time and hasn't stopped talking about the awesome Nutcracker/Mouse King sword fight. It is our new favorite game to play around the house.

We also hit up the {freezing cold} Spanish Fork Light Parade. We got our groove on to stay warm and I had a great time embarrassing my nieces with my killer dance moves.

Santa Claus came to MD Nursery last Saturday and it was pretty funny to see the kids reactions. Hayden ran right up and was so excited to tell him his extensive and ever changing Christmas list. Most recently he wants a flying car and a talking robot, neither of which he is getting! Cora on the other hand had a very different reaction. She wanted nothing to do with him, but I was secretly happy to get the classic crying Santa picture!

After she got off of Santa's lap, she stepped way back and had this look on her face. It was too funny not to capture.

Our friends the Hansen's had us over to decorate gingerbread houses. I'm pretty sure I did most of the decorating and the kids did all of the candy eating, but it was a fun night anyway!

As for Cora Belle, she is a little handful these days. She is talking up a storm and cracks me up on a hourly basis. She loves her green smoothies and spends most of her days undressing herself only to redress in her snow clothes. What would I do without her!
We hope this finds you all happy and healthy! We are so grateful for all the good things that 2011 has brought for our family and can't wait to see what Christmas and the New Year bring.

families can be together forever ...

2011-11-09T12:56:00.006-06:00

It has been a crazy week for our families. Both Nate's and my grandfather have been sick for quite a while and this week it seemed like the world crashed down around us when they both passed away. I can't even begin to describe the examples both Grandpa Creer and Grandpa George have been in our lives and heaven sure got two of the most Christlike, loving, choice spirits this week. Oddly, they were both Grandpa Joe to us, Joseph C. George and Joseph E. Creer and we will miss you both so much. How grateful I am to know that through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, we can be together as a family forever!

Joseph E. Creer

August 30, 1921 - November 8, 2011

For My Dear Grandpa Creer:
I don't even know how to begin to describe the way you have changed my life. In my earliest memories, you are right there, front and center. I will never forget when you gave me The Little Mermaid for my fourth birthday and I squealed with delight and almost knocked you over from excitement. I loved when you and Grandma would pick me up from Kindergarten every day and we would go to KFC for miniature chicken sandwiches. I remember cousin sleepovers when we would play night games in your backyard and then snuggle all together in the sunroom under your watchful eye. I loved your famous hamburger soup whenever the Walker's would come down and your eagerness to listen to every story that I dreamed up. You created amazing memories for each of your grandchildren with your annual Christmas Eve and Easter parties and trips to the Marathon in St. George. You serenaded each member of your family on their birthdays with your famous harmonica skills and filled our lives with so much joy. I personally treasured our drives up to Idaho where I learned to love the classics like Patsy Cline, Perry Como, and Engelbert Humperdinck.

There was never a birthday, program, or report card that went unnoticed. Never once do I recall a harsh word ever escaping your mouth. You were a gentleman in every way possible and loved Grandma Floss with every fiber of your being. You were also an amazing father to my Mom and showed her through your example how to be an amazing parent to me. In your 90 years, you never let a day go by without giving it your all. You taught me the beauty of hard work, of loving your neighbor, and giving of yourself to those in need. You loved your Savior and your testimony of the restored gospel showed with your every action.

I have developed into the woman I am today because of you. Your quiet confidence is with me whenever I am having a hard time and your unwavering devotion to your family and friends has made me realize that family is what is most important in this life. You served your country, your church, and your family with your full heart. Your generosity and love for your fellow man is awe inspiring and I pledge to continue on with your giving spirit.

I don't know a better man than my Grandpa Joe. He lived a life to be proud of - full of service, generosity, love and laughs. I love you Grandpa and I can't wait for our joyous reunion on the other side!

Joseph Carl George

April 18, 1927 - November 5, 2011

To Grandpa George:

Grandpa, honestly I feel like I have been away for the past 10 years. I know over the past years, your health has declined due to Parkinson's Disease. So while I unfortunately haven't lived close enough to attend family reunions and Sunday dinners, the memories that I do retain are those of a happy, healthy grandfather.

As I was visiting your home during the last days of your life, my mind reflected back on Sunday family dinners, games, and popcorn. My grandpa made one mean bowl of popcorn, and I loved going to grandma and grandpa's house for a Sunday evening of popcorn. When the entire family would get together, the night would definitely consist of a game of picture cherades (similar to pictionary). Grandpa was always the judge that would think up creative phrases and puzzles that we would try to describe with drawings. I definitely enjoyed those Sunday nights with family.

If there was anything that demonstrated grandpa's work ethic, it was his Garden! What a garden my grandpa had for a number of years. Specifically it was his raspberries and apples that were such a treasure. His garden supplied the food storage for many of his family members over the years.

The last tribute to my grandpa must mention his devotion to the gospel. Grandpa was the example of quiet dignity, and he was an example of service in all aspects. He was always in tune with the Spirit and truly an inspired man. While he was not raised in an active church-going family, he made decisions that obviously not only affected himself, but his children and grandchildren as well.

We are all so grateful for the decisions you made to become active and involved in the church. Your legacy lives on in all of us. Love you grandpa!

florida!

2011-11-06T23:02:00.001-06:00

Nate and I escaped last week for a fun few days in Florida. We had 2 free flights from our Kansas City days that
were going to expire, so we flew the coup and went as far away as possible. Both of our parents were great and
watched the kids for us so we could relax an not worry a bit. We were planning on just relaxing on the beach and enjoying the sunshine, but Mother Nature had other plans. The forecast in Miami predicted rain the whole time
we were supposed to be there, so we only spent one day at the beach and then went up to Orlando to explore Universal Studios. We had such a blast and felt like we were teenagers again!

My favorite part of the trip was Harry Potter Land. It was amazing and it felt like we were really right there in the books and movies. It made me want to come home and reread the books all over again. It really was amazing!

Me and my Butterbeer in Hogsmead

Probably the funniest part of the trip was when Nate ordered a turkey leg from the Harry Potter restaurant. I was kind of grossed out when I saw it, but Nate dug right in and had a hay day. About half way through, I think we were both about to barf, but he was determined to finish the thing. It sure was disgusting, but so funny at the same time!

We had to get a picture with Curious George since Hayden is pretty much convinced George is his brother or something.

When I showed Hayden this picture with the T-Rex, he got the most concerned look on his face and was genuinely worried that we were going to get eaten! I reassured him that it was just pretend, but he sat and studied the picture for a good 10 minutes just making sure.

And another one just for Hay - Nate and I with his Super Hero friends - particularly Spider-Man and Electro.

Overall, it was such a fun get away full of beach time, good food, and way too many roller coasters! I was feeling green by the end of the 2 days at Universal Studios! I am so lucky to have such a fun husband and such amazing family around to allow us to get away once in a while. Can't wait for the next adventure!

Peter & Tink

2011-11-03T17:39:00.003-05:00

We had so much fun this Halloween. It is one of my favorite holidays and I love all that comes with it - dressing
up, candy galore, and lots of cute kids! After weeks of Hayden choosing a different costume idea each day, he
finally decided on Peter Pan (I was so happy!) and that only left one option for little Cora - Tinkerbell! I had so much
fun planning out their costumes and I love how they turned out.

Halloween night was spent in Utah. I win the award for worst wife of the year because we didn't even spend Halloween with Nate. My Grandpa is really sick, so the whole family got together Sunday night to see him. Instead of rush back to Victor on Monday, we decided to stay and have Halloween with all of the Stewart cousins and the kids loved it (Nate, not so much! Sorry babe). We went the the annual ward Trunk-R-Treat and they got so much candy. It was crazy!

The cousins all lined up in their costumes - We have Barbie, a princess, two cute witches, Peter Pan, Tinkerbell (who was not too happy), a pirate, a Dalmatian fire house puppy, a ice cream cone - sans costume, and Fireman Sam!

We are so lucky to have such cute cousins who made the night so memorable! It was a great holiday and Hayden
is already scheming on what he wants to be next year! Today, he thinks he will be either Mario or a Knight in
Shining Armor and he want's Cora to be Rapunzel. We'll see!

FOUR!

2011-10-25T17:20:00.000-05:00

It's so hard for me to believe, but my big boy Hayden is now 4 YEARS OLD! It is crazy to think that four years ago, I held and loved him for the first time. Time sure does fly, but I have loved every second of having him in my life. He is the funniest, most imaginative, stinker of a little boy and he makes each day exciting. There is rarely a second that goes by that he doesn't make me smile, make me laugh laugh, or make me send him to time out. I sure do love you buddy!

For his birthday this year, we took the easy way out and went to Fat Cats for miniature golf, bowling, and pizza. Perfect 4th birthday, right! He thought it was fantastic. (Yes - that's Cora laying on the ground throwing a fit. Love her!)

We were even lucky enough to have Papa and Mimi there to celebrate and they of course spoiled him rotten (along with Grandma and Grandpa and his cute cousins).

I think Sadie won the perfect present of the night though with her 5 pack of Power Rangers. He was so excited to have them and hasn't put them down since. He has designated them each with a name and a super power and he is one happy camper. Thanks again Sadie!

Getting his 4 spanks and a "pinch to grow and inch." He also loved the suitcase from Papa and Mimi and keeps talking about how we need to go the airport so he can use it.

Back at George's, we sang "Happy Birthday" and lit the candles on his Superman cake.

The M&M's were the best part!

Overall, it was such a fun day and I can't believe my baby is 4.

We sure do love you Hayden!

lately ...

2011-10-22T21:27:00.002-05:00

It is crazy how time flies. Suddenly, our beautiful summer days are over, fall made it's short but spectacular debut, and winter is knocking at our door in the Teton Valley. I can honestly say I have never lived anywhere that is as beautiful as our new home. The leaves all around us are the most amazing fall colors and we have loved soaking up everything that our town has to offer. I just wish it were a little closer to civilization!

We definitely lived it up this Summer. We had so much fun playing outside soaking up the

beautiful weather. No humidity! We played at every park in the area, went on lots of hikes,

and picked fresh raspberries at a local raspberry patch. It was the best!

This summer, we also visited our family a ton and the kids had so much fun getting to

know their cousins again. It is so nice being closer to home!

I even experienced my first Eastern Idaho State Fair and it sure lived up to it's reputation!

Donut burgers anyone? How about chocolate dipped bacon? Not doing it for you? Yeah - me

either! I went with the classic fair corn dog and it didn't disappoint! Hayden was just happy

playing with the carnirats at the carnival. Good thing I had some hand sanitizer in my bag!

Speaking of Hayden - Here's a little update on him. If you can tell from the above picture and video, he got stitches ... again. Surprise! We always joke that he is extremely daring, but also extremely clumsy! This beauty happened while riding his bike. He somehow made contact with the drain grate on the sidewalk and his bike stopped, but he kept on going. Luckily, Nate is an expert seamstress and sewed him up at the dental office. 11 stitches - That's how we roll!

Hay is also super into building forts and we frequently have one set up in some area of the house.

He also turned 4 yesterday (yes, 4!) and we had a blast celebrating. Post to come.

As for Cora Jane, she is a sweet as ever (except when she's not, which is happening a lot more lately!). She is little diva one second, and then my lover bug the next. I don't know what I am going to do with that girl. Thankfully for all of our sanity, she is almost 18 months and will be visiting the nursery in our church next week for the first time.

Cue the Hallelujah Chorus everyone!

This video is really old, but must be documented. It is of Cora's first steps and then how she progressed over the weeks to follow. Now she is no longer walking, but running everywhere. Where does the time go!

For remembrance sake - she crosses her feet every time she sits down. It is my favorite!

Overall, my kiddos are doing really well. They love our new home and

are so excited for the snow to fly ... again.

The last weekend of September was Nate's mom's birthday and they treated us all to a fun weekend

in Salt Lake. We had family pictures taken, went to the play Mary Poppins (which was fabulous)

and then we took the kids to Temple Square for the first time. It was such a great weekend and

ended much too quickly!

The Family History Center has a darling new children's exhibit that our kids loved.

I swear, we did the Latin dancing exhibit for hours. It was great!

We also had a freak snowstorm a few weeks ago and although I was totally freaked out, Hayden thought it was the greatest think since sliced bread. We went out and built our first (but definitely not our last) snowman. Thank heavens it was all melted by noon!

Last week we went to my Aunt Sally's darling pumpkin patch and the kids loved it. The train was definitely the highlight and all Hayden wanted to do was ride it over and over. I imagine we will be back again before October is through if the kids have anything to say about it!

Ha - She didn't love me trying to take her picture!

Overall, life has been so good to us lately. We feel blessed to have such an amazing home and job and be close enough to family to see them often. We love our weekly day at Papa and Mimi's and are starting to really feel at home here. I can't believe how blessed we are and I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for continually blessing my sweet family.

family pictures

2011-08-31T12:13:00.000-05:00

A while back, I won a family picture shoot from Jylare Photography. Needless to say, I was incredibly excited and the pictures turned out so beautiful. Cora a total pill during the session and wouldn't even crack a smile, but other than that, they were perfect. Thanks again Jylare!

Our New Life . . .

2011-08-08T17:11:00.000-05:00

We are slowly but surely getting settled in our new home. We traveled like crazy in July, so now that we have hit
August, I am making it my goal to really get to know our new town and make some good friends. Overall, we are
loving it here in the Teton Valley. It is absolutely beautiful and the weather is to die for! We got out of KC just in
time as far as the weather is concerned! Everyone says that the winters are pretty brutal here, but if we can have
summers like this, I am willing to live through almost anything.

We were lucky enough to have my sister Ali and her kids come up for the weekend and we had such a fun time. We shopped, visited the old fashioned soda fountain, made headbands and had a Harry Potter marathon. What a weekendl!

For family night, we went to the driving range and we all had a blast. I finally started to hit some balls straight and the kids loved running around in the beautiful mountain air.

Isn't her hair killer!

We went back to Spanish Fork for the 24th of July and we introduced our kids to the wonders of the rodeo! It was such a fun night with my whole family and Hayden now wants to be a real cowboy when he grows up.

And last, but not least, we relived my childhood by visiting the Bar J Wrangler dinner and show in Jackson last night. We went practically every year with my Grandma and Grandpa growing up and it was just like I remember it! Not much has changed, but it was fun to introduce my kids to something that I loved as a child.

Lake Powell

2011-07-16T16:14:00.000-05:00

The week after we moved in, we hit the road again for a trip to Lake Powell with Nate's family. It has been 4 years since we have been to Powell, so it was so fun to be able to go this year.

I just wish it was a bit closer! After our cross country road trip the week before, I was absolutely dreading the drive, but we broke it up with stops at my parents house in between and that made it so much better. Popsicles always help, too!

Once there, the kids were in heaven playing with their cousins. Hayden and Halle had a ball together and Halle introduced him to the beauty of Barbies. They played Rupunzel and Eugene and had a great time.

Cora also learned some new tricks while we were there. Brynlee is quite the little gymnast, so Cora discovered her own tricks.

Our friends the Chapman's got some new paddleboards and they were the hit of Lake Powell. All of the kids loved them.

Hayden loved tubing - Halle, not so much! I went with Hay one time and we were bouncing and flying all over the place and he giggled the whole time!

But Hayden's favorite parts of Lake Powell was the squirt gun and the mud. Such a boy!

All week we told Hayden that he had to try water skiing so the last morning, we stayed true to our word and made him try it. Brynlee and Halle both popped right up on the skis so we knew he could do it, but he definitely didn't want to. With a little persistence and a few tears, off he went. He didn't quite stand up all the way, but he made a big circle on the skis without letting go. We were so proud!

During our two state road trip home, I was eternally grateful for long naps, and the IPad.
You gotta love Lake Powell!

Home

2011-07-16T16:06:00.000-05:00

We feel so blessed to be in our new home. It is absolutely beautiful and so much more than I ever expected. It is so nice to have a beautiful place to call home. The yard definitely has a long way to go, but I couldn't ask for more.

Our kids sure love it here too. Hayden is in heaven on our quiet little street and wants to play outside all day every day.

We are so blessed!

Idaho, Here we Come!

2011-06-28T23:11:00.004-05:00

Well, we made it safe and sound to our new home in Idaho. It feels so crazy to have taken this huge step in our lives, but we feel so blessed to be where we are. Since I am always a little behind, I have to catch up on our last few weeks in KC.

To start out with, our kids were obsessed with these funny goggles from Hay's amazing Sunbeam teacher.
Somehow we ended up with two pairs and Cora was sure glad!

We finished up our last weekend in Kansas City with some bike riding and fun at the park. I didn't think that I would ever live anywhere as green as KC, but Idaho is sure giving it a run for its money. It is absolutely beautiful here in the mountains and I am so glad we came during the summer so that I could experience the beauty of everything before the long, cold winter sets in.

We said goodbye to our beloved Jone with a fantastic night out at Jazz.
Oh how we will miss our Missouri Grandma! You better come and visit Jone!

All of the residents and their families had a goodbye BBQ as well. Nate was so blessed to work with such amazing people over the past year and we will miss all of them so much.

The only thing Hayden wanted to do to say goodbye to Kansas City was to go to Chuck E Cheese one last time. Boy does he love that place! Cora finally got the beauty of it as well when she discovered the little slide. She loves a good slide!

One of the most exciting parts of our final days in the city were Cora's first steps. She is definitely a little slow in the walking department, but she is finally getting it. Just look at that concentration on her face!

Hayden spent a lot of his time while I was packing in his new favorite place - Cora's highchair playing with play-dough. I don't know why he thought it was so cool to be in there, but it was nice for me!

We spent a lot of time packing and cleaning in our final days, but it was all worth it because on the day of check out, everything went so smoothly. My mom and Nate's brother Freddie came in the day before and we went to Oklahoma Joe's one last time. Then Wednesday morning, we started loading the truck at 9 am. All of my cute Seminary boys came to help us load and it meant so much to me. We had the truck loaded by a little after 10 and then boys played with the huge roll of saran wrap we had leftover. After everything was out, My mom and I had the house cleaned and we checked out by 12 o'clock. It was amazing to hit the road so early and cover so much ground that first day.

Boys + Saran Wrap = A Very Fun Time

After 2 very long days of driving (especially for Nate - the truck had a crazy glitch in the wiring and he couldn't go over 60 miles per hour the entire drive. They tried to get it fixed twice, but no one had the right equipment to fix it!) we finally made it to our new home in Idaho. Our house is absolutely beautiful . It's so nice, I don't know quite what to do with myself - especially after our funny townhome. My parents spent a few days with us helping unpack and my in-laws helped so much with the kids and helping us get settled. Thank heavens for wonderful families!

When we went to visit the office with my parents, I was pleasantly surprised to find
Nate's name already on the door of the office. Way to go babe!

With my parents in town, we hopped over the mountain to Jackson for the night. Hayden was excited to see the Cowboy Shootout in the Square and we had a fun time walking around the beautiful streets.

Overall, we are so excited for our new life here. It is going to take some major adjusting for me - there is relatively no shopping to be found here! - but we are ready to stretch our wings and really embrace our new small town life.
Here's to hoping I survive!

countdown

2011-06-08T23:01:00.009-05:00

Well, we are down to our final 2 weeks here in KC. Most of our dear friends have already left and I must say that I am ready to make the big move to the land of potatoes (I never thought I would say that)! While life is definitely busy right now, we are squeezing in as much fun as possible during our final few weeks.

About 100 times a day, I hear Hayden ask if we can go outside so he can ride his new bike. We found this beauty on Craigslist for a steal and he loved it. We tried very unsuccessfully to teach him to ride it without training wheels, but he would have nothing to do with it.

But - then we got a cute video of our little 2 year old nephew Cash cruising down this dirt hill on his little balance bike and we were sold. Hay got his Strider about a week ago and on day 2 he was already lifting up his feet and balancing on it. AMAZING! Today, he rode all the way down the hill in our parking lot and is doing so great on it.

Another favorite past time is visiting the Y to go swimming. There is nothing better than a nice pool on a super hot, humid Missouri day!

My good friend Ashley also invited us over to the beach at a local lake and we had such a fun time. I swear Hayden could live in the water - now we just have to warm Cora up to the sand!

Memorial Day was spent at the annual Burneson BBQ and as you can see, the food was amazing!

We were also lucky enough to have Nate's cousin Mike and his family stop by for a couple of hours on their way to Nauvoo. Their girls are so sweet and it was good to see them one more time before we hit the road.

Amidst all the fun, my world came crashing down when Heidi had to up and move to St. Louis. Heidi - what in the world am I going to do without you! Life just isn't the same!

Thanks for the pics Tara!

Coco and I in our new dresses this last Sunday. I actually attempted to sew a new dress for myself. I used the tutorial from elleapparrel.blogspot.com and it actually worked out! It was a little wonky, but I was proud of myself none the less.

My cuties reading in Cora's crib.

One funny story - last Saturday morning, Hayden asked me if he could play Nate's Ipad. I told him no and he was really fine with it. A few minutes later, he went down to the basement and I didn't think anything of it. A little while later, Nate came upstairs and turned off the light in the basement. I asked him where Hayden was and he said he wasn't down there. I assured him that he was and this is where we found Hayden - in the back corner of the basement with the Ipad watching Peter Pan. What a stinker!

And for your viewing pleasure - My little ballerina!

Reminiscing

2011-05-19T14:44:00.001-05:00

As our time in Kansas City draws to a close, so many things that have been such a huge part of our lives are coming to an end as well. We are beyond excited for the next chapter of our lives in Idaho, but it is also hard to say goodbye to all the things that we love!

It is crazy to say, but my year of Seminary has finally come to an end. In some ways, it is so exciting that we made it through this year alive, but in other ways, I am so sad that it is over. It is such a bitter sweet feeling. I love my Seminary kids as much as I love my own kids and the last few mornings that we have been apart have been hard for me. I am eternally grateful that I had this opportunity to spend each morning with our future and I am a better person because of them! Aren't they all so cute!

The two Jon's - my Seminary graduates!

On the last day of class, we had a big party complete with lots of food, lots of Living-like-Larry, and lots of memories.

Here they are the last few minutes of class singing our class song, D&C 19:16-19. Memories!

Nate was released from the Bishopric on Mother's Day and it was also a bitter sweet day - Bitter because he won't get to spend each Sunday with two amazing men and Sweet because now I have some additional help to wrestle two very busy children during Sacrament meeting! Hayden was so excited that Daddy could actually ride to and from church with us. That hasn't happened in such a long time.

Check out Cora's stank face! She just wanted her mama!

A few weeks ago was also the first annual Kansas City Temple Run. It was a 5K around the temple and it was so much fun! So many friends were there and we partied it up! How I am going to miss all of our wonderful friends here in KC!

To celebrate graduation, my friend Rachel planned a fun BBQ at the park. We felt lucky to get an invite because we technically graduated last year. Look what nerds we are pretending we are still young and agile! I think our cheerleading days are long since past!

Amy planned a fun pizza and movie night with the boys to get them all together one last time. We are so blessed to have such great friends that have become our family here. Hayden doesn't quite get the magnitude that we are all moving our separate ways, but I sure do!

Girls - I am going to miss you all so much. Thank you for making this home for us for the past 5 years. I don't know what we would have done without you!

And just for your enjoyment - a daily dose of Coco. Check out that bed-head - isn't she divine!

anniversary, birthdays, and easter, oh my!

2011-05-01T15:30:00.002-05:00

Oh - Where to start! Last weekend was definitely full of excitement. It all started with our 6th anniversary followed the next day by Cora and I's birthdays and then the next day was Easter. It was a fun weekend to say the least!

After a fun night celebrating our anniversary with dinner and a movie, (I am terrible and never remember to take pictures of just Nate and I) we started the Birthday Celebration the best way possible - with donuts from the best donut shop in KC, Donut King. We all gorged ourselves on delicious sugar treats and then headed over to our townhouse Easter Egg Hunt. Sugar and more sugar!

Easter morning brought with it the annual hidden easter basket and Hayden was all over it. He was beyond excited to find his basket filled with Cheetos, a Spider Man cup, and a new baseball mitt. Cora just wanted the chocolate Cadbury eggs. Man that girl loved them!

The best part of Easter morning for me were the new Easter clothes for the kids. There is nothing better than darling new clothes for Easter Sunday!

Because of the super crazy Easter weekend, we celebrated Cora's birthday on Tuesday night. She was such a cute little 1st birthday girl. I can't believe that a year has already passed since I first held her in my arms. Oh what a year can bring. She is now crawling all over the place, getting more daring with taking steps and showing off to everyone around! I love my little Coco more than anything!

And Hay's not too bad either!

The Rainbow-Power decor. I always have grand ideas in my head for a cute party and those ideas always fall remarkably short of their mark. I mean look at that hysterical cake! It so didn't turn our like I imagined! At least I got a picture of it before I found 3 little kids with their fingers licking their frosting off! But it tasted good, so I guess that's all that matters.

Cora also got her own little cake (funny as well!) and she started to really dig in but then decided that she didn't like to be dirty so she tried to rub her hands all over her face to clean them off. Silly girl!

We were all tuckered out after our long weekend of fun - so much crammed into such a short span of time!

We are so blessed! Hope your weekend was as amazing as ours!

Hallo & Bonjour from Germany & Paris!

2011-04-19T11:31:00.104-05:00

I just got back from the trip of a lifetime! I am sitting in the Chicago airport waiting for my flight back home from a wonderful trip to Germany and Paris with my Mom, sister Ali, and two nieces, Maddie and Sophie. We went to Germany to visit my cousin Jon and his family who are in the air force at Ramstein Airforce Base about an hour outside of Frankfurt.

While I was gone, Nate took the kiddies back to Idaho to see his family, so they were well taken care of while I was away. It was so hard to leave them, but at least they were loved and spoiled while I was away. Thanks Sally and Richard for taking in my family while I was away! You are the best Mimi and Papa ever!

After our red eye flight out the states, we landed in Frankfurt early in the morning and had a full day of fun. We drove to Jon and Janene’s house and got settled in. Then we headed over to the Air Force Base to check things out and get some lunch. They introduced us to our first taste of real German food and I dove right in and ordered the Curry Wurst. I felt like a real German, but that one brat was enough for me! We also ordered the classic German dessert, Apple Strudel and Ali and I dug right in to the strudel but were very surprised at the taste. It was disgusting! It had this strange spicy hotness to it and it was all I could do to not spit it out. Janene then took a bite and about died because they had accidentally put horseradish sauce on it instead of the yummy vanilla sauce. Needless to say, we quickly got that fixed and the new apple strudel was to die for! I’m glad we had Janene with us. I just would have thought those crazy German’s had strange taste buds!

From there, we hung out at their house and then that night went to a fun little gelato place for dessert. I swear we ate gelato every single day! My waistband is hating me, but it was sure fun.

Janene also introduced us to one of the most amazing things I have ever eaten. It is called Speculoos and it is this biscotti cookie spread that resembles peanut butter but is soooooooooooooo much better! I seriously couldn’t get enough of it and it was my favorite European find!

Heidelburg!

Sunday, April 11th, we woke up early and loaded the cars and headed to Heidelburg, Germany. Jon’s oldest son Bowen had his patriarchal blessing there so we decided to make a day of it. While they were in the patriarch’s house, we found a cute little pastry shop along a cherry blossom lined street. Germany is beautiful and the pastries aren’t too shabby either! We got there just as everything was blooming and the whole country was coming to life.

After Bowen’s blessing, we headed out to find the Heidelburg castle. Parking was a nightmare because there was a marathon going on downtown. Thankfully, we had a carload of girls, so we were able to use the women only parking!

We had a quick lunch there and Maddie showed off her ballet skills in front of this darling fountain in a little square. She miscalculated how long it would take to take the picture and ended up totally falling into the fountain. It was probably my favorite moment of the whole trip!

After lunch, we hiked up to the castle which was built in the 1100's.

One of the 4 turrets on the castle was hit by a bomb at on point and half of it fell down. It was so amazing to see!

Inside of the castle they also had this enormous wine vat. How anyone could drink that much wine is beyond me!

The view from the castle was amazing. The city of Heidelburg overlooks the River Nectar and there were the most beautiful, ornate houses on the waterfront. The Europeans sure know how to build beautiful buildings!

After our trip to the castle, we walked down the main street of Heidelburg and did a little shopping, gelato eating, and cathedral gazing. It was the perfect start to our German adventure!

Burg Eltz & Trier

Monday brought with it another castle adventure. We visited the Burg Eltz castle which was built in the 12th century and is still owned by the same family today - 33 generations! While we were there, they were renovating the roof of the castle, so sadly it had scaffolding all around it, but we were able to tour the inside of the castle and it was so interesting to see how they lived 1,000 years ago. I was completely intrigued by the family hierarchy and the daily lives of the people that lived there and while it was so interesting, it made me eternally grateful that I live when I do!

After the castle, we hopped in the car again and headed to the city of Trier. Trier is a beautiful city and while we were there, we were able to see the Porta Nigra and explore some ancient Roman bath ruins that are over 2,000 years old and were used by Constantine. We totally got in trouble because we were climbing on the ruins. Oh well – it made for some great pictures!

From there, we walked through the streets of Trier and saw the Palace of Trier and the Der Dom cathedral. It is just so amazing to me that these beautiful buildings have been around for so long. The architecture and craftsmanship are unmatched!

While there, we hit up the local H&M (of course) and had a bit more gelato. I wasn’t joking when I said that we had it almost every day we were there! Trier was one of my favorite stops on the trip and a place that I would love to return to.

The Bavarian Alps

Tuesday morning, we headed off to the southeastern tip of Germany into the Bavarian Alps to the town of Berchtesgaden. The air force has lodge there that we were able to use and it was quite the adventure! Even though it was Spring Break for everyone, as we drove into town and started up the mountain to the lodge, the snow started falling. Who would have guessed I would spend my spring break in the snow covered Alps! I felt like Maria in The Sound of Music. It was filmed about 2 hours away from where we were in the city of Salzburg, Austria.

After we got settled into the lodge, one of the other patrons there explained more of the history of Berchtesgaden. While we knew a little of the area’s history, we were all astonished to find that it was the center of the Nazi regime during the height of World War II. Hitler himself stayed at our lodge and it was the home of one of his closest conspirators, Dietrich Eckart. In fact, Hitler dedicated part of his book Mein Kampf to Eckart and there is a picture of Hitler in front of the very lodge we stayed at. Creepy!!!There was also some pro-Nazi propaganda carved into the rafters of the main room. It was very interesting to stay there, to say the least!

Just above our lodge is the famous Eagles Nest, which was built as a birthday gift for Hitler’s 50^th birthday. Sadly, it doesn’t open until May, so we weren’t able to visit it.Hitler also had a home there, but it was bombed during the insurgency. Every old home there has some Nazi story to tell and the town is crawling with history. While there, we visited the Documentation Center which is an entire building dedicated to the history of the Nazi party and WWII. It was so sobering to hear first hand of the atrocities that were carried out during this time in history and I learned so much from my experiences here.

Yet, one thing is for sure, Berchtesgaden is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. I can see why Hitler would choose it as his home base – it is just so sad to know that this beautiful place is haunted by such horrible ghosts.

Berchtesgaden

Wednesday, we headed off to downtown Berchtesgaden and went on a tour of the Salz Zeit Reise Salt Mine. This mine has been in operation since the 1500’s and it is still a functioning mine today. We had to dress in these sweet mining suits for the tour and we rode a little train deep in to the center of the mine. It was pretty interesting to learn more about the mining of salt, but the best part was the wooden slides that you got to slide down from one level to the next.

After the salt mine, we explored a real German grocery store and I was totally grossed out by their bottled meats. They were disgusting!

That night we walked down the hill from our lodge and passed a little home that was build in 1492 – you know, when Columbus discovered America! Two little women had lived in it for over 60 years, even during the Nazi’s rule of the town. During WWII, the Nazi’s overtook Berchtesgaden and kicked everyone out of their homes, yet for some reason, they allowed these two women to stay in their home. They are still there today.

The next home down the hill is where we ate dinner. It was definitely an authentic German restaurant! I had snitzel and apple strudel and almost got felt up by the local restaurant owner. It was quite the experience!

That night we went sledding down the hill in front of the lodge and then I had my first experience blowing eggs so that we could die them. You learn something new every day!

Dachau Concentration Camp

Thursday morning, we headed home from Berchtesgaden and on the way we visited Dachau Concentration Camp. It was such a sorrowful but enlightening experience. Dachau was the first concentration the Nazi’s opened and it remained open from 1933 to 1945 when the American troops liberated the camp. Some of the most atrocious acts ever committed against the human race happened there and the camp is still filled with such a somber feeling. It was an experience that I will never forget.

Bonjour from Paris!

After our long day of travel Thursday, we woke up bright and early on Friday and did it all over again. But this is the part of the trip that we were all the most excited about – PARIS!

After we found our hotel (the driving in Paris is crazy - no lanes, no rules!) we took our first trip on the Paris subway and headed down to the center of town. We were all starving so we found a darling little French café and stuffed ourselves silly. We had amazing French crepes and crème brule and then went shopping down one of the most amazing little streets that I have ever been down. I swear, you could spend a year in Paris and never see it all. Two days was so not long enough, but I guess that means I will have to go back!

We then headed to the Notre Dame Cathedral only to have missed the last tour by about 10 minutes. We took a few pictures and decided to go back the next morning to tour the inside.

We then hopped on the subway again and went to see the beautiful Eiffel Tower. Sophie has been waiting her whole life to see this and her face was so classic! She was overwhelmed with joy and was so excited to have one of her dreams come true. We went clear to the top and while we were there it changed from day to night, so we were able to get the best of both worlds – views of Paris in the daytime and nighttime.

We then walked down the stairs and got some fun pictures in front of the tower. It was such a magical night.

Saturday, we woke up with the birds to explore more of beautiful Paris. We had a yummy breakfast, but I think Ali was the smartest. She waited for a pastry and fresh squeezed orange juice that were to die for. We then headed back to Notre Dame and walked through it. It is just so amazing to me that so many of the building in Paris are so much older than our country is. There is so much history and character in the city. It is amazing.

From Notre Dame, we walked the streets of Paris for a while and then went to the Royal Palace and the Louvre. This is what I was most excited about seeing and it definitely didn’t disappoint. I have a soft spot in my heart for beautiful art, and what better place to go than the Louvre. We saw the famous Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, sculptures by Michelangelo and so many other treasures. It is a day I will never forget.

After the Louve, we headed to a darling little French café for lunch and then to another bakery for macaroons and the most amazing lemon tartlette. It is a good thing I don’t live in Paris! Their pastries are way too good and I don’t have enough self-control!

We ended our short tour of Paris with the amazing Arc de Triomphe built by Napoleon in 1806. It was an amazing 2 days, but we were so tired by the end of it. Sunday in church, we were all falling asleep - our heads were bobbing!

Jon put it well when he said that vacation and traveling are two very different things. A vacation entails relaxing on the beach while traveling requires a vacation afterwards. I will totally agree! I could go for a few days of relaxing on the beach right now especially since I will be awake for 24 hours straight because of my day of traveling and the time change!

Sunday, we relaxed and enjoyed a day at home. We went to church in the afternoon and then Ali cooked amazing Café Rio salads to bring a little bit of Utah all the way to Germany. We then packed our bulging bags and hit the sack.

Auf Wiedersehen & Au Revoir

Monday morning, we woke up at 4 am (9 pm Sunday night Kansas City time) and got all ready to head to the airport. Our flight left at 8 am Germany time and we then had our 9-hour flight over the ocean. We flew into to Chicago airport at 10 am and from there, we said our goodbyes. It was so sad to say good-bye to my Mom, sister, and nieces but it is so nice to know that in just a short few months I will be so much closer to home. I am now sitting in the Chicago airport on a 5-hour layover before I head back home to Kansas City.

While my trip was one never to be forgotten, I missed my babies and hubby so much! It is so true that distance makes the heart grow fonder! I am beyond excited to see them in a few hours and hug and kiss them to death!

A huge thanks to Jon and Janene and their darling kids for an amazing 10 days. You were so hospitable and the best tour guides we could have ever asked for. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

my lovies ...

2011-03-20T14:27:00.005-05:00

I sure do love my little munchkins. They fill each day with craziness, drama, and a whole lot of fun and I wouldn't change my life for anything. Yesterday at dinner, Hayden suddenly exclaimed, "Holy Shiz, Mom!" Nate looked at me and I about died. I wonder where he heard that from? (Me, sadly). I had to explain to him that "shiz" isn't the best word to use and maybe we should say "Holy Cow" instead. He constantly humbles me and brings me to my knees.

Coco's night time look - Check out her CRAZY hair! Love this little girl!

Hayden thought he was so funny with his undies on his head.

Don't worry - we were folding clean laundry when he decided to put them on!

Here they are in their church attire. Hayden got these glasses from his amazing

Sunbeam teacher and he wears them all the time now.

Last but not least, my cute girl. She is turning into such a ham. Sometimes she is the smiliest, silliest thing you have ever met. Then when we are in public and people try to get her to smile, she is so solemn - won't crack a smile for anything! She is so funny. This week, she has started to try and stand up in the middle of the floor. She can get her legs underneath her, but can't quite stand up all the way. She has also started to arch her back whenever she doesn't get her way. Oh man! I'm remembering the fun of a spunky little kid. Nate commented today while we were wrestling her in Sunday School that we still have 7 months until she goes to nursery. Can I make it? Oh well. Ready or not, here we go!

new developments ...

2011-02-18T10:16:00.001-06:00

Oh how life can change in a week! In the past week the kids went from healthy to totally

sick. Cora went from immobile to very much mobile - she is now a crawling fool. And

most exciting, we went from renters to homeowners! Well, I guess you could say we

have a home under contract and signed our lives away, but either way, we will definitely

have somewhere to live when we move in June! Life has been good to us. Like I said, a lot

can change in just a few short days.

As for my Cora Belle, she has grown up so much in the last little while. She is crawling

around and loves to stand. A few mornings ago, I walked into her room and she was

standing up in her crib for the first time. She is getting so big! Where did the time go.

Cora is also the best little eater. She has the pincer grasp down pat and I took this picture

to remember how cute her pudgy little fingers are.

Over the past few weeks, she finally figured out how to crawl. She was definitely a slow poke, but now that she figured it out, she is all over. It has been so fun to watch her discover the world around her. Here is a video from a week or so ago. She is much faster than this now,

but those first days of crawling are priceless.

Here is another video of the kids. Hayden is particularly proud of learning the first two

Articles of Faith and his own rendidition of Praise to the Man. I'm not sure how a tiger, zebra, alligator and horsey made it into the song, but it is cute none the less!

As for Hayden, he has turned into such a funny napper. I can't lay him and Cora down in the same room for naps because they just keep each other up, so he has been sleeping in our room. Needless to say, his naps are become few and far between. The other day after I got after him for coming out of the room I could hear him playing away. When I went up to check on him he had fallen asleep, but with his shirt off and the blinds completely open. He is such a funny boy.

Hayden also got a killer black eye a few weeks ago. We were having dinner with our friends the Anderson's and all of the sudden we heard an ear splitting scream. Hayden eye had somehow gotten in the way of Toree's sword and he got a nice shiner to prove it!

As the days progressed, it turned from red to yellow, brown, black, purple, green and every color in between. I sure got some concerned looks from other people as we were out and about. He looked so pathetic. Sadly, I have a feeling it won't be his last!

Cora is also a super jumper. She loves it!

We have also had some crazy weather here in KC. Lucky for Nate, in the midst of all the

snow, he got to escape to Laguna Beach, CA for a few days for a dental conference. To say that

I was jealous would be an understatement! He and the other residents had a great time

soaking up a few rays and relaxing by the ocean. Tough life, right!

Their hotel right on the beach.

And to finish things off, a few more pictures from the amazing Skye. I couldn't be

happier with how the pictures turned out. They will be forever cherished.

my beauties ...

2011-01-20T21:49:00.005-06:00

Merry Christmas to me! Here is a sneak peak of the kids pictures that were taken over Christmas break by the incredible Skye. Can't wait for the disk to see them all. More to come!

www.skyejohansen.com

just hear those sleigh bells jingling ...

2011-01-10T23:30:00.008-06:00

Merry Christmas! Yeah, it's January, but I just took down my Christmas tree yesterday, so I am still in the Christmas spirit! We had a wonderful holiday both in Kansas City and back home and here is small look at the fun.

While in KC, we went to see Santa at the library. This was Cora's first taste of the Man in Red and while she didn't seem too enthused about the whole affair, there were no tears.

Am I a bad mom if i confess that I'm a little disappointed that she didn't scream when I put her on his lap? I just love those pictures of the kids who are absolutely terrified of Santa!

Hay told Santa all about how he wanted a knight hat. When he first came up with this, we had no idea what in the world he was talking about. I had read him 'Twas the Night Before Christmas a few times and we weren't sure if he was talking about the man in the story's night cap or what. Luckily he expounded on the request a few days later by explaining that he wanted a sword as well. Ding, Ding, Ding: knight, not night!

UTAH!

Our arrival in Utah couldn't have come at a better time (and not just because Hayden had been asking me incessantly when we were going to fly on the airplane.) The day we flew in, we were met with a blanket of snow - and that snow didn't stop for 36+ hours. It was amazing! We don't usually get snow in Kansas City so it was a welcome surprise. Hayden immediately wanted to go out and build a Frosty.

Day two into the snow and we had about 2 feet of snow at my parents.

It's was a little boys paradise!

We were lucky also lucky enough to be there for the annual, traditional Palmyra Ward Christmas Extravaganza complete with a life-sized, dancing Frosty the Snowman, darling Suzy Snowflakes, and rolling donkey. Aside from the slightly inappropriate Santa Claus (seriously!) it was such a fun night and brought back so many memories of being a little girl.

Christmas Eve was spent at my parents home surrounded by all of our family. We laugh that no more Stewart's are going to fit in my parent's house, but like it our not, we are going to keep growing. Better plan an addition to the house Dad! Just look at all those cute little cousins in their Christmas pj's in the annual stair picture.

The kids were spoiled rotten and loved to spend time with their cousins.

The night ended with a rendition of the nativity and a few final pictures.

And last but not least, cookies for Santa and a few treats for Rudolph.

Hayden was adamant that we not leave him out.

Christmas morning brought with it the beloved knight costume and the surprise hit of Christmas, Hayden's marble works set. Nate recieved marbles for his third Christmas and was a bit nostalgic about getting Hayden marbles as well. As predicted, he has absolutely loved them and can't get enough of his beloved marbles.

As for Cora Jane, Santa saw fit to bring her a dolly. Her Baby Huggums is so sweet and reminds me of my baby doll from when I was little. I guess I am a bit nostalgic as well!

Cora just likes to eat her.

All in all, it was a wonderful Christmas! The big secret of the year was a surprise trip for Ali's girls to Europe, Germany and Paris to be exact. I feel so privileged to have been invited along for the adventure. Ali, Maddie, Sophie, Mom and I are in for such a fun trip!

The rest of the time in Utah was spent relaxing, playing with cousins, and soaking up all the fun that comes with being around family. It's crazy how much Hayden loves his cousins. Every morning he would ask who could come over to play or who's house he was going to. He is now going through serious withdrawals!

We have also concluded that Hay has a little crush on his cousin Saige. He was always so sad when he went to their house and she was at school. When she was around, he was right at her side participating in whatever game she had planned. It's true love!

One last note for document sake: Cora is the most amazing eater on the planet. She will literally eat anything that is placed in front of her and loves every second of it. She still isn't crawling and all that food is continuing to go straight to her cheeks. I can't look at her without pinching or smooching her growing cheeks. She is such a doll!

IDAHO

The day after Christmas we headed up to Idaho just in time for little Sophie Mae's blessing.

It is so great to be home for those special moments.

The annual George Family picture.

Oh wait. This one looks a little better!

Cora jumped right in and showed off her darlingness to Papa. She is such a dollie!

That night was met with more presents (we are so blessed!).

Cora just loved the wrapping paper. Typical baby!

Tricia sent a fun package of light up Rudolph noses and of course, we had a bit of fun with them. Such a fun present Trish!

While in Idaho, we also hit the slopes. I took my first ski lesson, and while I am bruised from head to toe, it was a really fun time and I can't wait for our next ski trip. I better get this figured out because we are going to live 15 minutes from the ski hill this next year! Hayden is also excited to get his own pair of ski's next year.

The boys also had a great time playing at the snow and Hayden is a true snow bunny!

They also built a huge snowman that stayed up for our entire trip.

Last but not least, my stud muffin celebrated the big 2-8 while we were home. I feel bad that this is the best picture we got of the festivities, but at least it's documented. I love you babe! Thanks for all you do for us and for making life exciting every day!

thinking & interruptions ...

2011-01-09T20:49:00.006-06:00

The thought that I wasn't thinking enough all started while I was home for Christmas. I spend a lot of time with my sister Ali and her brood of chilluns. She seems to always be running - whether it be to their million different activities every day, helping with homework, making dinner, and the countless other things that fill her days. After a great day with her, I was reading a post from an equally busy mom of 5 who wrote this - it's worth a read. The quote that she shared hit like a punch from Mike Tyson:

"When you are exasperated by interruptions, try to remember that their very

frequency may indicate the value of your life. Only people who are full of help and

strength are burdened by other persons' needs. The interruptions which we chafe at are

the credentials of our indispensability. The greatest condemnation that anybody could

incur - and it is a danger to guard against - is to be so independent, so unhelpful, that

nobody ever interrupts us, and we are left comfortably alone."

-Anonymous, from The Anglican Digest

Isn't that so good! I often find myself so busy and consumed with all of the demands that life places on me. Then I look at my sister with her 5 beautiful kids and realize that life isn't going to get any less hectic. It is only going to compound and with it, so will I. But it is important to remember that it although we are often pulled a million different directions all at once, those pulling us every which way need us. They make life worth living.

While I was mulling this around in my brain, I also realized that in order to be of the best service to those around me, I need to be at my personal best. I need to spend more time thinking, pondering, and finding out what is most precious to me. So that's what I am going to do. I am going to improve myself and start really thinking again. Wish me luck - I hope I like what I find!

let's take a ride ...

2011-01-09T20:30:00.007-06:00

As some of you may know, I was an English major at BYU and really loved to write and express myself creatively. Since then, the years have passed and with that, so has my ability and my desire to write. I find this so tragic. Writing and self expression used to be such a huge part of who I was and with the passing years, I feel like I have lost that part of myself.

As I was preparing for Seminary tonight, I was reading in Doctrine and Covenants 88 and came across a well loved scripture. Verse 118 reads: "And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith."

This verse was just want I needed to hear. So often my life is consumed with diaper changes, sword fighting, reasoning with an unreasonable three year old and all of the other monotonous joys of being a mother to two small children. While I love being a mom, I often find myself wondering how I am enhancing my own mind. I rarely find time to read a good adult novel. I know that The Cat in the Hat is great literature, but I find myself craving more - more learning, more study, more thought, and more personal fulfillment.

So, what am I going to do about it you may ask? Well, I am going to try a little experiment that a friend from High School is doing. You can read about her adventures here. I know that I will by no means write daily, but I hope that through this little adventure, I will find a piece of myself that once was. Feel free to come along for the journey.

Crazy Coco

2010-12-05T17:08:00.005-06:00

For your enjoyment, my Cora Belle in all her glory -

Also, my friend Calle is amazing and invited us over to take some fun pictures of the kids.

I by no means needed more pictures, but who can pass up an offer like that, right?

my chickies -

2010-11-17T15:12:00.012-06:00

A post for my cute kids:

Cora Beanie -

I just can't get enough of this little girl. I mean seriously - she is a complete doll! I love her chubbs, her big sparkly eyes, her perfect gummy smile and her incredibly chubby cheeks.

She just melts my heart.

Cora's newest obsession is anything she can do with her mouth. She is the queen of

sucking on her top lip (it's the funniest thing ever) and playing with her little tongue.

She also started making this smacking sound with her lips today while we were cruisin'

around Target eating popcorn. She wanted some popcorn really bad and started

smacking her lips and she hasn't stopped since.

I am so lucky to have this special little girl in my life. She has added a whole new element of love to my heart and I am so grateful that I get to enjoy her every single day. I am so blessed!

Enjoy her cuteness!

A special thanks to my friend Aubre for the darling pictures of Cora. You are the best!

Hay Hay -

I think 3 years old is the best age. Hayden is so much fun right now. He is constantly making me laugh at what he says, at his thought process, and the things that he loves.

I also think 3 is the worst age. While he is so fun, he is also such a stinker! Oh well. I guess it comes with the territory!

Some of my favorite things about Hayden today are the way he says remote - gidermote. I love how much joy was on his face when we watched Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer for the first time today. I also love the endless questions that ensued after the movie - he is just so curious and wants to understand everything around him.

I love (and hate) how he could play Candyland nonstop for hours on end. I think we played it 6 times in a row and he beat me 5 out of the 6 times. He has a gift!

I love Hayden's messy hair when he wakes up from his nap and how he always climbs into my lap right after he wakes up. It's one of the only time he will snuggle with me.

I love how he always has to say "Abra Ka Dabra" when we turn the Christmas tree lights on.

(Yes - my Christmas tree is up and I love it!)

Overall, I just love my little bug to death. While he drives me crazy sometimes, the joy outweighs the craziness 1,000 to 1. I'm a pretty lucky girl!

And for your viewing pleasure - two rather identical pictures of my little ones. Their face shape is strikingly similar in these pictures, isn't it. I never really thought they looked the same until I saw these two pictures together side by side. It will be so fun to see what's to come!

happy october ...

2010-11-02T14:27:00.011-05:00

What a fun few weeks we have had here in the George family. From Hayden's happy 3rd birthday to trips to the fire station and zoo and then on to Nauvoo, we have been busy! To start things off, here is a peek into our Halloween festivities this year. Hayden was the worlds cutest Superman and Coco Bean was the smoochiest little zebra ever, if I do say so myself!

I wish we had a picture of all of the little Superhero's in our neighborhood. There was some major hero power out this weekend!

Halloween weekend, we also had a ward temple trip to the Nauvoo temple. We drove up Friday morning with all of the youth from our ward and hit some of the sights. Then, the next morning we went to the temple and then raced home for all of the Halloween festivities. Here we are in front of the temple and Hayden by the beautiful statue of Joseph and Hyrum Smith.

Here is Hayden having a great time making some rope at the Family Living Center. He then got to take it with him and it is his new favorite thing. He says he is now a real cowboy. Who knew a little rope could make the boy so happy! Simple pleasures, right!

A few weeks ago, my friend Maggie set up a tour of our Fire Station for all of the little boys and Hayden thought he had died and gone to heaven! He got to drive the fire truck and got his very own fire hat which he wears daily. I also somehow got volunteered to wear the fire man gear. Boy is that stuff hot and heavy! I don't know how they do it! Hay called me a "Fire Girl" because I'm not a definitely not a fireman.

Nate also had an open morning last week, so we stole him away from work for a trip to the KC Zoo. It was a little chilly, but no one there, so we had the whole place to ourselves. They have a new polar bear exhibit that was so cool! While we were watching, the polar bear was swimming laps and showing off like crazy. He would come right up to the glass, and then push off with his huge paws and do a backwards dive - all with you just inches away. It was amazing!

We also rode the train and carousal, which of course, were Hayden's favorite part of the day. Go figure!

Last, but definitely not least - my little man is now 3 years old!

IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?!?!

We celebrated big with a party with all of his friends and he was spoiled rotten. He got so many fun presents and has been in hog heaven ever since.

By the end of the night, we were all dog tired - Cora even passed out mid party. Poor girl!

To end, here are a few random, but darling pictures of my littles. I just can't get enough of them! Could Cora's chubbers cheeks be any cuter! I swear, they just keep getting bigger!

to the rescue . . .

2010-10-17T21:11:00.016-05:00

I can't believe it's already October. So, what have we been up to you may ask?

Miss Cora Belle is busy getting chunkier and chunkier, shoving everything within reach into her mouth, and getting cuter by the second. I just can't get enough of her smoochiness!

As for Hayden, he is anxiously awaiting his upcoming birthday - 2 more days until he is 3 years old. Is that even possible? He is also very excited for Halloween so he can show off his adorable costume. He is going to be the most stylish Superhero around if I do say so myself!

Nate is as busy as ever. He has been doing some really exciting cases in his residency program (well, exciting to him at least!). I have definitely mastered the art of nodding and adding in the appropriate "uh huh's" and "Oh, that sound's interetsing." Most the time, I have no idea what he is really talking about, but am trying my best to be the supportive, interested wife.

As for me, my life as of late is consumed with one thing and one thing only - SEMINARY. I seriously feel like it has taken over my life. My house has never been messier and we eat Papa Murphy's way too much, but I am growing in ways that I never thought were possible in such a short amount of time. I think about the Doctrine and Covenants so much and my mind is constantly filled with my students, lessons, and scripture mastery scriptures. It's is the hardest thing in my life right now and the very best. It has made me grow and stretch more than I would have liked, but has been so good for me. I now absolutely loathe the alarm clock, but once I get to Seminary, it is one of my favorite parts of the day. There have been some amazing mornings where I have felt the Spirit so strong and know that I am doing some good in my kids lives, and then there are those mornings when I want to tear my hair out (and theirs as well!), but I just keep telling myself that those are the days that make me stronger and help me get better. Overall, this has been a really big challenge for me, but I have grown and developed more in the last month and a half that I would have thought possible.

The Lord sure does work in mysterious ways!

One funny note - My mom just brought me a "Scripture Rock" CD that has all of the scripture mastery scriptures to soft rock. Sounds awesome, right?!? (you can laugh, it's OK)

Anyways, Hay and I were listening to it on the ride home from church today and he was seriously rocking out in the backseat. I had the bass turned up and he thought it was the greatest thing ever. At least I have him fooled!

In other news, Fall wouldn't be Fall without a trip to the pumpkin patch, now would it? Here is documentation of our trip to Carolyn's Pumpkin Patch:

After that fun afternoon, life was just hunky dory for a few weeks until the unthinkable happened - we all got sick. And I'm talking nasty sick. Here's the proof:

This picture just doesn't do it justice - imagine really goopey eyes, runny nose, and slobber all the way to Timbuktu. Not fun. It's been a week and a half since Hayden's first feverish night and we all still sound like a bunch of sickies around here.

But alas, not to fear - Grandma 'Nita to the Rescue!

I feel so bad that she came while we were all under the weather, but thankfully, the kids were better by then. I still had a nasty cough and enough mucus to fill the Mississippi, but we still went out on the town and lived it up. The last time she came was when I had Cora and we didn't go ANYWHERE so I had to make it up to her! First stop, Deanna Rose Farmstead.

Isn't she the cutest grandma ever?

Feeding the goats. You would have thought these goats had never eaten in their lives. They were going crrrrrazy for Hay's bottle of milk and he was scared to death.

I just love this picture of my Mom. It captures her love and zest for life so perfectly.

While there, Hayden decided he is going to be a dairy farmer when he grows up.

More power to you, buddy! Make me proud.

We also hit up Kaleidoscope at Crown Center and you would have thought Hayden had died and gone to heaven. Markers and scissors and paint galore. There were even little rooms with a million different buttons to push that made crazy sounds. It was a little boys paradise.

And then to top it all off, we went to Fritz's for lunch. It is this darling little restaurant where your food is delivered to you by an overhead train. Once again, a little boy's fantasy. He hasn't stopped talking about it since.

Mom - we are so glad you could come and see us. It was short, but oh so sweet!

Cora loved it too!

One last note - I had to include my fun night last week. It was my friend Tara's big birthday and her husband planned the greatest night for us all. He had us all surprise his wife and then we all got into our personal limo and headed out for pedicures! It was divine! I am so lucky to have such amazing friends here in KC that have literally become my family. I am going to miss this place so much!

Until next time -

Cora's Special Day

2010-08-28T23:07:00.009-05:00

During our trip to Idaho, we did so many fun things, but the highlight for me was Cora's Blessing Day. She looked so beautiful all dressed in white and Nate gave the most amazing blessing. The day was filled with friends and family, good food, and love all around.

Cora and Mimi

Cora and Grandpa and Grandma

Remi and Brynlee loved helping me get Cora ready for her special day.

The beautiful spread.

The whole George Family hasn't been together since Christmas, so we had to document the occasion with a few family pictures. Thanks to everyone for coming!

The rest of our trip was filled with numerous visits to the carousel,

playing with cousins and riding the rides at the zoo.

Sunday night, we took the kids to ride their bikes around the lake and I caught these cute pictures of Cora with Sadie and Sally. We have the best family!

We also went to the Splash Pad in Rexburg and Cora loved the beautiful summer day.

We also got to celebrate Richard's birthday while we were there with a trip to Big Judd's and a play at the Playmill Theatre in West Yellowstone. Nate's little brother Freddy has been there all summer and it was so fun to watch him act. He is a natural.

Celebrating with Papa.

In all, it was such a fun and relaxing vacation. It was hard to come home, but also so

nice to come back to reality and see all of our friends here in KC.

One last note - If my blog completely tanks in the next few months, I have a good reason.

I was just asked to be the new early morning Seminary teacher for our ward. It starts

on Wednesday morning at 6:00 am! Wish me luck!

utah ... this is the place

2010-08-26T10:25:00.019-05:00

We just got back from our fun trip home to show off our little Cora. Everyone was

absolutely smitten with her! We love going home to visit with everyone and Hayden

can't stop talking about all of the fun things that we did with his cousins.

The highlight of the trip for Hayden was riding the Heber Creaper. We went with Evan,

Ali, and Grandma and is was such a fun afternoon. We started the ride off in the open car

by the engine, but quickly moved back a car because of the loud whistle.

Cora about jumped out of my arms the first time the whistle went off.

I gave Luke and Ali's little Evan the last of my ice cream bar and you would have thought

he had died and gone to heaven. It was the cutest thing to see him eating it.

It was so fun to watch Hayden reconnect with all of his cousins. We haven't been home

since Christmas, so he hadn't seen any of them for a long time. He loved how there was

always someone around to play with and there was never a dull moment while we were

there. Jed and Christina's girls were also absolutely in love with Cora. They never left

her side and now she is a little bit spoiled!

At Ali's house one day, Hay found the Guitar Hero guitars and he thought he was the

coolest thing since sliced bread. He took on the complete rockstar persona with that

guitar on. It was pretty funny!

Another highlight of the trip was riding Grandpa's horse. Whenever anyone asks us

what we did on our vacation, it is the first thing Hayden tells them about.

It was so fun to let everyone meet Cora. My grandma Floss loved her to pieces.

My Mom is a rockstar. While we were there she ran another 1/2 marathon. I got up

and ran with her a few times and she totally kicked my butt! I'm so proud of you, Mama!

As for me, I am now an official college graduate! Yes - you heard me right!

Kate George, BYU Alumni 2010. What a huge relief! Here is Hayden rocking my

BYU Alumni t-shirt. Hayden loves to sing the BYU Fight Song, so I taught him to say

"Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra, Ra. Go Mommy!"

Our last day of vacation, we got family pictures taken. It is quite a feat to get everyone

in one place, dressed up, and happy - especially when there are 12 grand kids involved and

one Grandpa who hates to get his picture taken! Anyways - here are the results.

I would count it a success!

One last note - Nate says I should be more humble and not brag about our kids so much,

but how can I not brag about these cute little nuggets? I don't apologize - sorry! :)

Up next - the Idaho leg of our journey!

puppets & penguins

2010-08-26T09:45:00.010-05:00

Is she not the most beautiful thing you have ever seen? Just look at that smile -

she just melts my heart! Cora is my little dream. She is such an angel baby and

has been the biggest blessing in our lives.

Hayden thinks the world of her also. He is the best big brother and is

so proud that he is such a big boy now.

He loves to dress up in Nate's church clothes and be just like his Dad.

A few weeks ago we went up to Omaha to visit the temple and made a weekend out of it. We stayed in a really fun hotel with a little water park inside of it and went to the Omaha Zoo. It was such a great weekend, but a little too hot for my taste. We were all absolutely melting at the zoo!

Whenever we asked Hayden what animal he wanted to see next, he would reply,

"I want to ride the train." It was the highlight of the trip for him. We honestly

rode it around the zoo for like a hour.

Coco Bean had a fun time too. She loved the giraffe's the best!

On our drive home, Hayden was out in about 5 minutes. It was a great little trip!

A few weeks ago at Story Time at the library, they had this adorable grandma come in and do a puppet show for the kids. We were a second late, but not to fear - Hayden walked to the very front and plopped himself down. He just wanted a good seat!

Cora liked the show too!

hello again ....

2010-07-05T14:45:00.013-05:00

Hi everyone! Here is a little taste of what we have been up to lately. Cora has starting

cooing and talking up a storm. It is so fun to see her little personality coming out and

her smile just melts me!

In other exciting news:

Hayden is now pretty much potty-trained. He will probably hate me for these pictures in a few years, but that's what Mom's do - we embarrass our kids, right! He has been running around in his undies all week and here he is showing his ribs. It's one of his favorite tricks.

Our first big outing was to the carnival in Parkville. Gotta love the carnie rats! Hayden had an absolute blast and is still talking about all of the fun rides. It was $15 well spent!

These slide pictures were pretty funny to look at. Nate took Hayden first and in every picture, they look like they are both scared to death. Then I took Hay and he has the biggest grin on his face in every one.

We have also hit the pool a lot in the past few weeks. Hayden and Cora both love it and it is a great way to beat the crazy heat here in Missura.

Our little town also had a party where they shut down the main street and brought in a big stage and a pretty good 80's band. Hayden loved dancing to the music.

To start off our 4th of July fun, on Saturday we went to the parade in Parkville with all of our neighbors. All of the kids went away with the biggest haul of candy you have ever seen. After that, we had a fun BBQ at the Burneson's and then did a few fireworks to finish the night off right.

Hay thought the sparklers were pretty cool until he grabbed one on the wrong end and totally burned his finger. Nice parenting, huh!

Sunday morning, Cora sported her holiday red and white and we had to take a few pictures of our little darling. She is one styling 10 week old!

Her Dad and Bro aren't too shabby either.

Sunday night we had another get together with our complex. Food and fireworks - does it get any better? Hay didn't love the fireworks up close and had his hands over his ears the entire time.

Here are just a few pictures of the past few weeks. Cora is growing like a weed and has started to smile and coo. She is such a doll and I feel so lucky to have her.

One of Hayden's favorite things is to help me out in the kitchen. He loves to perch on the countertop and sneak a taste of whatever I am cooking.

Isn't she the smoochiest!

A few posts ago we talked about the Linecreek Railroad.

We went again this weekend and took this little video:

We have the greatest people in our ward. Our friend Vic was admiring Hayden's golf inspired Sunday clothes and told Hayden that he had some golf clubs that were just his size. Hayden was so excited and sure enough, Vic dropped off a little putter and driver and the cutest little golf bag for him. He seriously hasn't put it down since. He is in heaven!

And to end it right - Here is Hayden singing his little heart out. We had to bribe him to sing for the camera by telling him that if he sang really well, we could ride the train. It worked!

dad's day ...

2010-06-20T21:16:00.017-05:00

Happy Father's Day to the two most important men in my life!

To my hubs who amazes me everyday with his love, charity and work ethic.

To my Dad who gave me everything in life and taught me everything I needed to know.

I spoke in church today and I am so grateful I was able to really reflect on the beauty of

Father's Day and all the great men who have helped me become who I am today.

Here is one of my favorite quotes that I found:

"Oh parents, we would plead, give good and happy memories to

your children, not pampering or overindulging, not satisfying everything they

take a fancy to, but memories of love and encouragement, of peace, harmony

and happiness at home. Memories that will bless and lift their lives,

wherever they are, always and forever."

-Elder Richard L. Evans